Basketball is the most widely known and played of the ball-through-the-hoop type games. Due to the popularity of the basic concept of the sport a number of variations have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,764 to Burke discloses the use of a shield or skirt in connection with the hoop in order to discourage "dunking" and encourage the players to release the ball at a point spaced peripherally of the rim.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,506 to Caveney discloses a portable, foldable, backboard type device. The invention includes side frame deflectors pivotally arranged on a main back frame adapted for mounting on a conventional backboard. The device is primarily useful in returning the ball to the player. Although the device is conveniently foldable and portable it must be used in conjunction with a conventional backboard, i.e. it is not self-contained.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 260,154 to Dremel discloses an ornamental design which includes slide walls or flaps to be used on a tennis table. The flaps can aid in keeping the ball in play.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,214 to Brenner discloses a ball-in-the-hoop type game which uses six different types of backboards. Each of the backboards is arranged differently with respect to the basket hoop for presenting a different variety of bank shots to be made from a station positioned in front of each backboard.
One striking feature lacking in the above referred to devices is self-containment, i.e. they must be used in combination with a conventional device, e.g. tennis table, backboard and/or basketball court. Accordingly, such devices are not useful to a large percentage of the population.